The concept of injecting pressurized air into the boundary layer of an aircraft wing is known in the art. In one method, the lift of a hollow airfoil is increased by directing hot air from the engine to the top front portion of the air foil while at the same time sucking air into the trailing top edge of the wing. However, the methods to achieve the injection of air into the boundary layer are cumbersome or involve structures that disrupt the flow over the wing during normal flight.
A device for injecting air is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,873,931, which includes an airplane wing with nozzles on both the upper and the lower surfaces of the aircraft wing. Air from a source, such as the means to propel the aircraft, is supplied to nozzles which inject the air rearwardly along the top of the wing and rearwardly along the bottom of the wing to increase the lift. The plane includes adjustable wing sections to enable the pilot to direct the nozzles in various directions in order to provide steering control of the plane. For example, the patent suggests the nozzles can be used to decrease the turning radius by extending the nozzles in the forward direction on one wing and in the aft direction in the other wing. The patent also points out that if only the top nozzles are directed in a forward direction, it aids in nosing the plane down and if only the bottom nozzles are directed forward it will divert air over the top of the wing and increase the effective lift. The art points out that if both the upper and lower nozzles are simultaneously directed in a forward direction, it produces a braking effect to reduce the speed of the plane.
In contrast to directing air rearwardly over both the top and bottom of the wing of the aircraft, the present invention includes integrally hinged nozzles that direct the air in opposite directions over the top and bottom of the aircraft wing. The present invention provides an assist for takeoff and landing by temporarily increasing the lift of the wing by simultaneously directing pressurized air rearwardly across the top of the wing through a first plurality of rows of flow straightener jets that are located on the top of the wing and integrally hinged to the skin of the aircraft so that flexing of the upper aircraft skin can open or close the jets, and a second plurality of rows of flow straightener jets that are located on the bottom of the wing and integrally hinged to the skin of the aircraft so that flexing of the lower aircraft skin can open or close the jets. The simultaneous operation of the first jets and the second jets in opposite directions on opposite sides of the wing, has the effect of increasing the pressure on the underside of the wing and decreasing the pressure on the top side of the wing to thereby increase the lift so that the aircraft can take off and land at slower speeds. The use of the skin as an integral hinge permits the jets to be retracted to a condition where the exterior of the aircraft presents a normal smooth surface for air to flow over during normal flight.